Stay with Me
by PresleyRox
Summary: Helga returns to Hillwood after a five year absence. After running into Stella, she ends up staying at the boarding house. Of course, Arnold is there.


_Title does not come from the Sam Smith song Stay With Me; it actually comes from a song of the same name by Black English. I recommend checking it out. Though this is not entirely based on the song I listened to it on loop as inspiration as I wrote this. _

**Stay With Me**

Twenty seven year old Helga Pataki tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for her suitcase to appear on the baggage carousel at Hillwood International Airport. She was going to be beyond pissed if the airline lost her bag. She wished she would have just brought a carry on, rather than checking a bag.

She sighed heavily.

This was not the start back to Hillwood that she had hoped it would be. Though, she should have known that returning to her hometown would be a complete disaster; even with Bob and Mariam out of town. She took a look around. There were only a half a dozen other passengers waiting for their luggage. The plane ride from New York City had been a full one and baggage claim had been completely crowded when they first landed.

It had been five whole years since Helga stepped foot in Hillwood. (Or Washington, for that matter) If she hadn't needed a break from her like in New York she doubted she would be back right now. Before the previous week she didn't think she'd ever come back to Hillwood.

She had written and published three books in her five year absence. The first two were a modest success. The second one even breaking a few top fifty lists. The reviews for both books had been fantastic. Helga had been happy with the modest success. Then her third book came out. _Fool's Dance_ shot to number one on pretty much every best sellers list (with its success, her first two books ended up breaking the top ten lists in a matter of weeks). Suddenly she saw people reading her book on the subway or the bus stop. It was totally bizarre.

Then there were the interviews and book signings. Helga had been going nonstop for the last six months and she was exhausted. She needed a break and that was why she was back in Hillwood. Her cell phone ringing snapped her out of her thoughts. She pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and looked down at her caller id; it was Nancy, her publicist. She ignored the call and muted the phone before placing it back in her pocket. Nancy flipped out when Helga told her she was taking a few days off, telling her it was a crucial time in her career, now was the time to be in the public eye. Helga rolled her eyes; it only took Nancy three hours into her vacation to call. She sighed, deciding it would be best to at least send the publicist a text. She pulled out her phone again and wrote a quick text telling Nancy she'd be back in four days. She'd call her when she got home.

She looked at her surroundings, realizing she was the only passenger waiting for her bag and her bag was nowhere in sight. She groaned loudly. Of course, this had to happen. Combing her fingers through her hair, she made her to the baggage service office to file a claim.

"Helga?"

Helga stopped in her tracks when she heard a female's voice call out her name; she looked around to find the owner of the voice.

"Oh sweetie, it is you!" An older woman pulled her into a tight hug.

"Stella…" It had been five years since Helga had seen the woman, five years since she got a Stella hug. Stella hugs were the best kind of hugs. It wasn't until that moment that she realized how much she had missed her. Growing up, the closer Helga and Arnold grew the closer she got to his parents, Stella in particular. Helga hugged her back just as tightly. "What are doing here?"

Stella pulled away from the hug with a laugh, "Funny, I was just going to ask you the same question. I just dropped off Miles. He's flying out to LA for a lecture. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you. I thought I might have been seeing things. What are you doing here, sweetie? Does Arnold know you're back?"

Helga felt her heart stop momentarily. Arnold. No, he did now know she was back. She had barely spoken to him in three years and when she did it was through text or email. She had heard from him twice in the last seven months. The first time was just after her book came out. He had sent her a two sentence text message.

_Read your book. It was amazing._

She sent one back, _Thanks Football Head_.

The last time she heard from him was when her book when to #1. It was a picture text of a best seller's book display, her book being at #1 with the caption _I'm proud of you_. She didn't send anything back that time.

"No. This trip was kind of last minute." Helga told her, "Bob and Miriam are out of town, so I figured it would be a great time to come back home."

"You're not staying at a hotel, are you?"

"Well, yeah…I'm-"

"No. You are staying at the boarding house. I insist." Helga sighed before nodding, knowing Stella would never take no as an answer. "Okay. Good. Where's your bag?"

"I don't know…I was actually heading to baggage service to file a claim."

"Oh dear, hopefully they didn't lose it." Stella walked with her to the office, "We all read your newest book, by the way. It was fantastic." Helga blushed, "I just loved Henley and Andrew. They seemed very real and…" The older woman paused, "Familiar to me."

Helga smiled nervously, "Did they?" She brushed some stray hair behind her ear. Of course, Stella would pick up on it. She wondered if Arnold did too. She prayed he didn't.

"I hope they find your bag soon." Stella told Helga as she drove them to the boarding house. As far as Helga knew there were no borders anymore, there hasn't been since Gertie got sick when Arnold was in high school. "If you want to change out of your clothes I should have a pair of sweat pants and a t shirt that fit you."

"I might take you up on that tonight."

"Arnold should be home by the time we get back." Stella told her, "I just know he'll be excited to see you."

"When did Arnold move back home?"

"About a month ago." Stella told her, "His job is transferring him soon and the lease on his apartment ended, so he decided to move back until he makes his big move." She paused, "Didn't he tell you all of this? He's moving to New York City."

"I guess we haven't really talked lately. Life's been a little crazy." Helga tried to explain. Has Arnold not told his parents that they don't talk much anymore? Maybe he didn't know how to, they had been so close for so long.

It was after their fifth grade class won a trip to San Lorenzo and she and Arnold somehow managed to find his parents that the two blondes became close. Shortly after returning they started to spend more time together and Gerald and Arnold drifted further and further part. The same eventually happened to Helga and Phoebe, so through the rest of grade school, middle school, high school, and even college Helga and Arnold were best friends. They were practically inseparable.

Of course, she was in love with him the entire time. It was one of the…No, scratch that, he was the reason why she inevitably left Hillwood. Loving Arnold and seeing him date other girls, knowing he would never feel the same about her she couldn't deal with it anymore. She had to leave. They stayed in contact on a nearly daily basis for a solid year and a half. She thought it would be easier hearing about his girlfriends rather than seeing them with him, but it wasn't. Slowly, it took her longer and longer to return phone calls, text messages, and emails. Eventually, she pretty much stopped responding all together, but by then he had pretty much stopped trying. Instead of only going a day or two without talking to each other they would go months. Helga refused to admit it to herself, but she _really_ missed him. Then there was that matter of her still pretty much being head over heels for him.

That's where her book came in. _A Fool's Dance_ was supposed to be her final love letter to Arnold. Stella was right when she said Henley and Andrew felt familiar to her. They should be. She was Henley and Arnold was Andrew. The book was her way to force herself to move on from Arnold, it was why in the end of the book Henley got on a plane leaving Andrew behind. Henley and Andrew were simply never meant to be. Just like her and Arnold.

She felt her stomach flutter with butterflies when Stella pulled onto her street. The thought of seeing Arnold again, knowing he was moving to New York… She closed her eyes, now they were going to be in the same zip code again. She was trying so hard to get over him, how was she supposed to do that now?

"Did you hear me sweetie?"

Stella snapped Helga out of her thoughts, "No, I'm sorry. I got a little lost there for a second. It's weird being back. What did you say?"

"I asked if you wanted to go out to eat tonight. I don't remember Arnold saying anything about doing anything tonight. We should go out and celebrate your success. Chez Paris is still in business, I remember how much you two loved that place."

Helga nodded, "That's sounds great." She half lied. Of course she was excited to spend time with Stella, but Arnold…It felt too soon. She was trying to subdue her feelings for him, now she was worried seeing him again all that would be thrown out the window.

Stella pulled into the small driveway at Sunset Arms. "Here we are." She grinned, "I cannot wait to see the look on Arnold's face when he sees you. He is going to flip!" Helga just smiled as she followed Stella to the front door, the fluttering in her stomach intensifying with each step. "Arnold!" Stella called for her son the moment she and Helga walked through the front door, "I picked something up from the airport for you!"

"What?" Arnold called from what sounded like the kitchen. Helga felt her heart begin to beat faster at the sound of his voice. "What could you have possibly picked up for me at the-" His voice became closer and closer until he came into view and saw her, "Helga?" He stood for a moment, staring at her wide eyed, afraid if he blinked she'd disappear from his life again.

She smiled nervously, "Hey, Football Head." She greeted awkwardly.

"I can't believe you're here." In a few quick strides he was in front of her, his arms wrapping around her enveloping into her a tight hug. "What are you doing here?"

Hesitantly, Helga hugged him back. She just hoped he couldn't feel her heart beating as rapidly as it was. She shrugged out of the hug, "I just needed a break I guess. Plus Bob and Miriam aren't in town, so what is a better time to come back home?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back home? I could have picked you up from the airport. You didn't have to hitch a ride from my mom."

"It was kind of last minute." Helga couldn't bring herself to look him in the eye. His emerald green eyes got her every time. "Running into your mom was just pure luck."

"I'll give you two some time to catch up. I need to get a room ready for Helga anyway." Stella looked over at Arnold, "You don't have any plans tonight do you? Helga and I were talking about going to Chez Paris for supper."

Arnold shook his head, not taking his eyes off of Helga. "I don't have any plans."

"Great." Stella smiled warmly, "I'll be upstairs if either of you need me."

"Thanks Stella." Helga gave yet another nervous smile. She noticed Arnold staring at her, "What? Why are you staring at me like that?" She asked.

"I just really miss you." Arnold told her with a small shrug, "I don't mean to stare. This trip must have been last minute; you don't even have a suitcase." He observed. "You're staying here?"

"The stupid airline lost it. Hopefully I'll get it back before we go out tonight. Your mom insisted when I told her I was planning on staying at a hotel. You know how hard it is to say no to her." Helga scratched her arm nervously, "Your mom said you're moving to New York." She paused, "Why didn't you tell me?"

Arnold shrugged, "I guess I wasn't sure if you'd care." He answered honestly. Before Helga could respond in any way, he continued "I've really missed you Helga…Even if you don't feel the same." He smiled sadly, "I'm glad you're here."

"I don't really know what to say." Helga admitted.

Arnold smirked, "Well, that's a first." He teased. "I was going to go on a walk before you and my mom got here…You wanna go on one with me?"

"Um, sure…That would be really nice."

"I'll let my mom know we're leaving for a little bit."

*  
"I really loved your last book. It was extremely frustrating, but I loved it." Arnold stated as they walked down the street.

"Frustrating?" Helga asked, her brows furring in confusion. "Why?"

"Andrew." Arnold responded quickly, "He's such an idiot. How could he not see what was right in front of him? It was so obvious that Henley loved him and that they were perfect for each other."

Helga laughed at the irony, "Sometimes people just can't see what's right in front of them, Football Head."

"So when's the sequel coming out?" Helga shot him a look, raising an eyebrow, "Come on, I'm one of your oldest friends. You can tell me."

"What makes you think there's going to be a sequel?" Helga questioned.

"What do you mean? It ended with Henley leaving. She never told Andrew how she felt and Andrew didn't realize that she is perfect for him." He frowned, "There has to be a sequel. They're going to end up together, aren't they?"

She sighed, "I don't think you understand…Andrew is the love Henley's life, but I don't think Henley is the love of Andrew's. It sucks, it's painful, but that's just the way it is."

"How isn't she the love of his life? Of course she is! He just doesn't see it yet."

"Maybe he'll never see it." Helga argued, "Henley can't put her entire life on hold for something that might never happen. She deserves better than that." _I deserve better than that._

"But she could tell him how she feels!" Arnold argued back, "Maybe if he just knew how she felt…"

"What if he didn't feel the same? Andrew is her best friend. She couldn't risk their friendship like that."

"But she left. How is that any better?"

Helga didn't say anything. He had a point there, "Maybe…" She spoke slowly, "She didn't want to get hurt. Sometimes not knowing is better than knowing and having your heart completely broken." She paused, "Sometimes, even if two people seem absolutely perfect for one another, they're simply not meant to be."

"But Andrew and Henley are meant to be, they have to be." Arnold whined. "I just want them to be together."

She laughed, "Well, I think many of my readers would agree with you, but that doesn't mean it will happen. "

He looked over at her, "So what did you mean before when you said you came back because you needed a break?"

"I don't know…I'm just a little tired I guess." Helga tried to explain, "I've been going nonstop since my book became number one. Between book signings and interviews…I haven't even had time to write. I guess I just need a minute to breathe." She released a shaky breath, "It's weird seeing people reading my books on the Subway or in the park. This whole thing is all kind of overwhelming." She paused for a moment before continuing, "You know I have always wanted to publish a book. I just never dreamed that people would actually like it, let alone read it." She cleared her throat, "Then there is a part of me that is terrified that this is all a dream."

"You don't need to worry…This isn't a dream. You , my friend wrote a best seller." He assured her. "It sucks your stressed, but I'm happy to see you again." He smiled, "You look really good…Not that you never didn't look good. You just look really good now. I mean…"

"Arnold." Helga held up a hand to quiet him, "Shut up." She chuckled, "I get what you mean and for what it's worth you look good too."

He shrugged, "Well, I _have_ been working out." He smiled, flexing his bicep. "Nice that you noticed."

* * *

Her suitcase was delivered early the next morning. Luckily dinner the night before was less awkward than Helga had been anticipating. Actually, everything had felt quite natural. Stella asked her earlier if she wanted to do anything that day, but Helga declined; all she really wanted to do was sit and relax. Maybe watch a little television. Arnold had to go to work and Stella had a few errands to run, so Helga spent the day alone.

That night Arnold arrived home after work with a pizza and a case of beer on hand. After finishing of the pizza Arnold suggested he and Helga go up on the roof and have a few beers. It's something they did a lot in high school (minus the beer) and in college. "I don't know why…But beer always tastes the best up here." Helga pondered as she took a swig of her beer. She and Arnold had been on the roof for a while now. Arnold brought up a stereo so they spent their time talking, listening to music, and drinking.

He smirked, "You know, it could be the company and not the place." He hummed along to the music for a few seconds and began to sing the lyrics under his breath, _"Stay with me, wasn't there a place for me inside your heart? Stay with me, we were never meant to be apart."_ He half sang, half mumbled somewhat drunkenly.

Helga ignored his singing. "You sure think highly of yourself there, Football Head." She laughed, "I've missed this." She admitted, noting the alcohol she was consuming was starting to get to her.

"Well, that's your own fault isn't it?" Arnold took a drink of his beer as he looked at her. They were sitting side by side, sitting so close together if either of them lifted up their arm just a little they'd be touching, "You're the one who cut me out of your life." He whispered.

Helga said nothing. She bit down on her lower lip. She had been worried he was going to bring that up.

"Why did you do it?" Arnold asked, "We were best friends. Did you just decide one night that you didn't even want to be friends anymore?" He paused, "If you hadn't run into my mom at the airport would have I even seen you this week?"

"Why does anyone stop being friends? Why did Phoebe and I stop being friends? Why did you Gerald stop? Sometimes people just grow apart." She didn't answer his last question because she really had no intention of seeing him while she was in Hillwood.

"Not us." Arnold argued. "We were pretty much attached to the hip for over ten years." He didn't tell her that she was the reason he and Gerald stopped being friends. When he started to get close to Helga Gerald had hated it. It wasn't that he was jealous or anything, Gerald just didn't like Helga. One day Gerald gave Arnold an ultimatum; it was him or Helga. Arnold chose Helga. He always knew Helga wasn't a fan of Gerald, but she at least understood their friendship. "Why did you do it?"

"It just happened over time…I-"

"Damn it Helga! After all these years of being friends, don't you think I know when you're lying? Tell me the truth. You know exactly why! I'm a big boy. I can handle it." Arnold was standing now, and practically yelling at her. "You were my best friend! What did I do?"

Helga was on her feet too now, "Does it really matter? Why do you need to know so bad?"

"I need to know what I did. I need to know how I can make it better and we can go back to the way we were."

Helga shook her head, "I can't go back to that." She wanted to cry, "We can't. I'm so sorry, but we can't." She blinked away tears, "It's nothing you did. It's just me. I'm so sorry. I swear though, it's not anything you did."

"Don't give me that it's not you, it's me bullshit." Arnold growled, "I'm not you're high school boyfriend you want to break up with. Tell me the truth! Why did you cut me out of your life?" He was almost screaming at her now.

"Fine! Do you really want to know? Damn it Arnold, I've been in love with you since we were three! I couldn't stand seeing you with other girls anymore. I knew you didn't feel the same about me and it was just too damn hard being around you all the time and knowing that! I thought moving and not seeing your every freaking day would be easier and for a while it was…But then you would talk about this girl you were seeing and all I could think about was how painful it was that it wasn't me. I couldn't even be mad at you about it because you are the best person I know in the world and I know you would never ever knowingly hurt me." She was crying now, "It was just easier for me to cut you out of my life."

She continued before Arnold could respond, "I've tried so hard to get over you. I've tried to date, but I have put you on this ridiculously high pedestal that it is impossible for any other man to live up to, simply because they are you." She wiped away tears, "I don't know how you never saw it. You said how much you loved my book, but you never saw it. My God, looking back, I didn't hide it very well. Henley Georgia Porter? Andrew Patrick Swanson? Come on, Arnold! We they have the same initials as us, I'm Henley, you're Andrew. That's why they didn't end up together. They're us and just like Henley and Andrew I love you, but you don't love me. As much as that sucks and as much as it kills me, it's okay." She laughed almost bitterly. "And you called Andrew an idiot."

Arnold didn't say a word during Helga's entire speech. He didn't know what he could say. All he could think about was how he hadn't seen it. How didn't he see it? Arnold didn't say anything; instead his hand reached out to the sides of her face pulling her mouth to his and kissed her. Helga made a noise in surprise, but it only took her a moment to snap out of it and kiss him back. Arnold picked her up and awkwardly tried to carry her back into his room without breaking their kiss. Helga giggled, pulling away from the kiss and made her way down the stairs to Arnold's room.

Nothing was said as their clothes were stripped off until they were lying in his bed, naked, wrapped in each other's arms, making love to one another for the very first time.

* * *

Helga was the first to wake up the next morning. A naked Arnold had his arms wrapped around her own naked body; he had her pulled tightly against him. Her fingers combed through her blonde locks. Did last night really happen? She was naked in bed with Arnold, of course it happened. She smiled as the events of the night before replayed in her mind. Arnold made love to her. She was almost giddy. She had wanted this for so long. The dirty dreams she had since high school finally came true. The dream she had since she was little kid came true. He loved her back.

Her smile quickly disappeared when realization sunk in.

Arnold never told her that he loved her. She told _him_ she loved _him_, but he never said it back. Slowly and carefully, so she wouldn't wake him up she slipped out of Arnold's grip. She wanted to be sick. She told Arnold she loved him and had sex with him and he never said he loved her back. Suddenly her dream was a complete disaster.

She needed to get out there.

She started to collect her clothes in a hurry, praying she wouldn't wake him up. "What are you doing?" A groggy sounding Arnold asked. "Come back to bed."

"I should go." Helga whispered as she got dressed.

"Why?" Arnold rubbed his eyes in attempt to wake himself up. "We just slept together. We…"

"I told you I loved you last night." Helga whispered.

"I know. I was there." Arnold smiled at her. His smile quickly turned into a frown when he noticed she was upset. "What's wrong?" He sat up, wrapping his sheet around his waist. "You enjoyed last night, didn't you?"

"I told you I loved you and you…"

Arnold face palmed, "I didn't say it back." He stood up and walked towards her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, his chin resting on her shoulder, "I'm sorry. When I kissed you, it was my way of telling you that I love you too." He kissed her shoulder. "Not as long as you have loved me for." He admitted to her truthfully. "I didn't realize I had feelings for you until after you stopped talking to me. I don't think I actually realized that I was in love with you until I saw you the other day, when my mom brought you back from the airport." Gently, he turned her so she was looking at him. "I was crushed when you cut me out of my life. I understood why you moved, but when you pretty much stopped talking to me…I hated it. Remember last night when you told me you put me on a pedestal?" She nodded, "I think I put you on one too…I just didn't realize you were the one who was on it. I think every girl I dated I subconsciously compared her to you…Expect now one compares to you…Not even a little bit."

"You love me?" Helga asked, unable to believe her ears.

"I wouldn't have kissed you if I didn't." He kissed her softly on the lips. "I'm just sorry I didn't realize earlier, you know, before you left for NYC." He tunneled his fingers through her hair, "I love you Helga."

Helga couldn't contain her smile anymore, "I love you too."

* * *

"I don't want to leave." Helga whispered, wrapping her arms around Arnold's neck. "I'm going to miss you too much." She pouted. It was the morning of her flight and Arnold had brought her to the airport to see her off.

"I'm moving there in three weeks." He kissed her, "We got through five years. We can handle three weeks."

"I don't know, that's before I saw you naked." Helga wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Three weeks is a mighty long time to wait after getting some Arnold love."

"Three weeks Helga, we can do this." Arnold kissed her forehead, "You know I'll miss you too, right?" He paused, "You sure you're alright with me moving in? I can get my own apartment."

She shook her head, "I know it sounds quick, but I think we wasted enough time. Unless you don't want to move in, then by all means, get your own apartment."

He kissed her, "I think you're right. We've wasted enough time. We've known each other long enough to push the fast forward button a little bit on this relationship." He grabbed her suitcase, "We need to get you going so you don't miss your flight." He slipped around her as they walked into the airport to the check in counter, "So what are you going to do with yourself in the next three weeks? Other than miss me terribly?"

"Oh, I'll keep myself busy…I'm sure Nancy, my publicist," Helga reminded Arnold who Nancy was. "will be on my ass for leaving town for those few days. Other than that, I think I have a new book to start."

"Really?" Arnold questioned, "What do you have in mind?"

"Well, I realized something this morning. If our story isn't over, neither is Henley and Andrew's." She smiled up at him, "It will just take Andrew five years to realize what an idiot he is and that he is in love with Henley."

"You know…If _Henley_ would have just told _Andrew_ how _Henley_ felt _Andrew_ would have realized how he felt towards her." Arnold pointed out as he emphasized Andrew and Henley's name each time he said it. "Henley could have saved them a lot of time too."

Helga shook her head, "Nope. I don't think so. It's totally Andrew's fault they wasted those five years."

"Maybe they're equally to blame?" Arnold tried to compromise.

"Nah, Andrew is one hundred percent to blame." Helga laughed, "I love you, Football Head." She kissed him, despite the fact she was never a fan of public displays of affection.

He kissed her back, "I love you too. I'll see you in three weeks."

"Three weeks." Helga repeated. "I have a feeling these three weeks will be the longest three weeks ever."

As the plane took off Helga released a sigh of total content, realizing just how grateful she was hat the airline lost her suitcase. If she had found her bag right away, she never would have bumped into Stella and then Arnold wouldn't be moving in with her in just three weeks. Three weeks. She smiled, at least three weeks were a hell of a lot shorter than five years.

* * *

I hope everyone enjoyed! Depending on how everyone liked this I might add a few one shots here and there to this. Some will take place after this, others before. I realize I didn't exactly showcase just how good of friends Helga and Arnold were in this so the prequel oneshots will definitely dive into that, so if you are interested in a random series of oneshots in this story universe, let me know.


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